What is the point of Reception please?

[helpfulornot]

I am struggling at the moment to understand the "point" of Reception.

I know it's not compulsory to send your child to school till 5 (presuming you don't homeschool), but if a child who doesn't attend Reception is expected, in smost areas, to just slot into Year 1, what is the exact point of Reception?

I would have thought it would be a huge disadvantage to all students, not just the ones starting grade 1, to have some start in year 1.

My Ds is 4, and he has just started Reception. He has attended pre-school, and knows the basics of reading and writing very well. He is struggling emotionally and socially with Reception. I have come to the conlusion that he is too young to expect to be able to concentrate for five days in a row from 9 till 4 in a class room. I wouldn't want him held back a year though if it meant he would just have to go into grade 1.

So what exactly is the point of Reception, especially given the poor results achieved on average by UK students, and the fact that most other European countries don't start formal education still age 6 or 7?

For me the point of reception for my dd was for her to get used to being at school, to practice having school dinners, getting changed for PE, going to the toilet in breaks where possible, learning to listen to others, practicing concentration, playing LOTS etc etc.
She also learnt to read a bit and did well with her numeracy too, but this was all a bonus for me.
There should be ALOT of play in reception, and a lot outside now. Our school is really embracing this and I am loving it. The year ones go outside loads too not just at breaktimes.

Oh and although you can keep your child out until they are five I have never met anyone in RL who has done this apart from Homeschoolers. If he is really struggling why not ask if you can collect him early on a Wed or something.

the point of reception to me is to get ds used to being in a formal setting away from us, to get him used to socialising with others and learning how to behave with other people, for him to play and build on his emotional development.To get used to eating his lunch without someone standing over him and dress/undress for pe etc. Obviously along the way they also learn basic numeracy and literacy mostly through play which is great. Ds can read quite well for his age and writes ok but it is about more than that.
If you dont think your DC is ready then take them part time until they are 5.

Reception isn't formal education. It's lots of play and socialization and learning to sit still etc and a much gentler introduction into school.

We have friends in germany with a dc the same age as dd. He didn't start school until 2 years later but it was a bad shock for him as he went from playing all day to very formal situation, whereas dd progression through school and been on a gradual basis.

IMO and IME Reception is to get used to school.

To understand the ways of school and the 'rules'. To get used to being away from family. To play and socialise. To learn how to rub along with others. To learn how to take turns and share and eventually sit still for long enough to listen to a story.

And hey, if you learn your alphabet and numbers up to 20 along the way, you're doing well

He has been going to nursery since he was 15 months old, at first full-time, then for a while for only one day a week, then after DS2 was born, it gradually increased.

He spent a year in pre-school, and for eleven of those twelve months it was pretty much 9 till 4. He learnt in that time about playing in a group, eating his lunch (which I had to provide), problem solving, and basic reading and writing.

He didn't have PE though, so he didn't have to learn how to dress himself, even though he could .

He did do well at nursery, we never had negative reports (his end of pre-school report was very positive), but something in him has snapped.

I always though he would do "well" at school, but his current problems / issues have really for the first time made me question the wisdom of sending someone so young to school full-time (especially given his experience of being in a group for many hours a day it should not be a "shock" to his system).

What do you think he finds difficult about school then (given that he was OK at nursery) - is it that he gets less individual attention? I think this is something that a lot of Reception kids struggle with at first.

I agree with you that four is very young to start school, but unless you want to home ed there's not a lot you can do about it. I'm sure there will be lots of other children in his class feeling lost and upset at the moment. They will adjust though, so long as the staff are understanding and do a good job.

It can be a really difficult time . Have you been able to speak to the teacher about it?
It is early days still.

My dd1 enjoyed reception ao and I think for her it was just a way for her to get used to being part of a big group. She went to a very small nursery so going to reception helped her with her social skills.

You can always try a montessori nursery, many go up to 5/6 and you would not have to go full time.

Like other posters I think it is just a gentle introduction to formal ways of learning/school in general. Luckily at dd's school they have lots of time to play and can go outside whenever they want (when I ask dd what she did today, it's always go outside/play in the sandpit etc).

She is a September born, so has been at nursery for almost 2 years. Morning/afternoon nursery/reception are all taught in the same space so it really is a gentle introduction. Just getting used to the longer days/lunch/PE or whatever.

I really like dd's school because the teaching from 3-5 seems so fluid. She went in at 3 and was allowed to sit with the reception kids to do literacy/numeracy if she wished.

Went to the picnic for her leaving nursery, and the TA said to me "she is so bright, she sat in with the reception kids from 3"

They don't seem to force it though, Dd has been in reception for a month and hasn't brought a book home yet and will only bring one home at weekends when the scheme does start.

She can read really well and seems to have taught herself as far as I can gather, but I'm just glad she is getting to play for an extra year and practice her social skills. Her class is only around 10 strong, but will increase when the January intake join.

AbstractMouse - Your dd's school sounds lovely!

I read somewhere - maybe on here!- that reception starts off as 80% play and 20% work and over the year it gradually changes to 20% play and 80% work to get them ready for Yr 1. Even then a lot of children struggle with the transition to Yr 1.

Year 1 came as a shock for my dd1, even though they still have ALOT of free play and utilise all of the outdoor space that reception get to use, have dressing up, sand pits, ride on vehicles etc etc.

Reception seems to vary a lot from school to school, though. My dd's school they have loads of play, half days for a term, afternoon sessions (shorter) for the Summer babies, etc. Its just what it says: a reception into the ways of school life, without pressures.

Several of her friends are sitting at desks already part of the day, not getting much creative/free play, and doing full days - some cope, some seem exhausted and almost numb.

And others are at that sort of school, but the parents can ask to keep them home for a day here and there when they get really over tired....most places understand its a lot/too much for very young children.

Personally though, I'd agree the UK is slightly mad and rather Victorian in its determination to push young children to grow up so fast.

• which is why I like dd's school, because she's not being pushed to be anything other than the age she is. And thats an emotional thing, nothing to do with reading/writing etc (they do do all that).

The other teachers get to see who's going to be trouble in later years for them, perhaps?

One point about the Scandinavian countries, where they start later, is that most children attend subsidised nurseries from a young age so they're getting that social training from elsewhere.

Admittedly, this was not the case when I was at school in Sweden in the late 60's- but then most Mums were at home and there was a vast choice of playmates in the neighbourhood.

Those of my Swedish friends today who wanted to keep their kids at home until the school start have changed their minds and sent them to nursery because the social interaction is no longer there on the streets.

Of course it would be nice if we could get the government to fund early education in a different setting from school- small nurseries where children could help to cook lunch and play outside most of the day, rather than focusing on the three R's- but I don't think it's going to happen any time soon.

My dd's school are doing the Scandinavian style 'Forest School' idea for Reception and Year 1. Reception will spend two half days out and Year 1 one half day out in the wooded area every week. We have been asked to provide wellies and waterproofs and gloves etc so it will be all weathers. I am thrilled as dd1 will LOVE this.

helpfulornot - you have my sympathy. My ds started in reception this term and is struggling. His behaviour and ability in his reception class bear no relation to how he was at nursery, despite the hours being pretty similar. He has been branded as stubborn and uncooperative by his teacher and also assessed as only knowing 4 letters. This is despite him knowing all his letters and reading 3 letter words at nursery. I ended up having a meeting with his teacher and head teacher. I found that really helpful to explain what I had already written in his reading diary. They seemed to take my comments on board and give him more interesting work in class. I'll know for sure whether it has had a positive effect when we have parents' evening after half term.

My ds is a summmer born so if he was in state education he would start next year straight into year 1. Although it seems hard I would rather he got used to the structure of school during a year that doesn't matter rather than going straight into year one. The difference I've noticed is the sheer number of pupils compared to nursery - 240 compared to 30 and the lesson structures, lesson bells etc. All of which are new to my ds despite having done two years at nursery.

I spoke to his nursery teacher and she said that he may be too interested in new activities to focus on those which are familiar - eg reading and writing.

My advice would be to talk to his teacher and tell her your concerns. Also get the support of his nursery teacher if needed. I felt in a stronger position for doing that and didn't get the impression that I was viewed as paranoid parent.

it is a huge transition from nursery to reception but an even bigger one from reception to year 1.

In nursery there is still a ratio of 1-6 so children get much more individual attention. When they go into reception that ratio is cut in half and you have 30 children with a teacher and a TA. And in reception they have to become more independent, getting dressed/undressed for PE, eating lunch in the hall with all the other children and no mummy to stand over you to make you eat it, learning to play nicely and take turns, but also with an introduction to reading and writing and hopefully allowing your ds to reach his potential on those basies.

But they do do learning. And although most of it is play based, it is still learning that stimulates the child's mind and can lead to the exhaustion that so many children experience when first starting school.

When my ds started in reception he was like the child from hell once he got home. One of the reasons for this was that because he was working so hard at being good and doing the things expected of him in school he had to wind down when he came home.

I remember about 5 weeks in writing a post on here saying something along the lines of "my lovely bright sociable fantastic ds has morphed into hell-child since starting reception" and got many a post along the lines of "take deep breath and utter the words, it's a phase it's a phase it's a phase."

It is perfectly normal for children to struggle when starting school. They are in a school setting now, not a nursery one. And even though it seems similar, it really isn't.

But I wouldn't take him out because once they go into year1 it is far more structured and if they haven't had the reception year, they will really, really struggle.

Thanks so much for all your comments.

We are going to see the teachers on Wednesday, and they have said to us, at our insistence, that they will also talk to his nursery teacher.

It sounds like he is struggling with the lower amount of one on one time (group sessions) so hopefully they will be able to come up with some suitable strategies to help him cope when things don't quite go his way.

Thx